The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-03
A RED-EYED BOY.

of an adventure.'
 This reminder of duty to be dis charged was addressed to we'll known circuit rider. X number of people had assembled at a way station in Arkansaw and were awaiting the arrival of train. Numerous anec- dotes had been told, and it hal now become the preachers turn to assist in the entertainment of the company.
 If you bring yourselves down to the expectation of but little from me- you shall not be disappointed, the circuit-rider replied but if you ex- pect very high amusement or very deep instruction, nothing but disap- pointment can follow. As you all know, the slow and plodding life of q circuit-rider can pass through but few incidents of sprightlincss, you will pardon me for relating something that occurred to me the other day, upon | III hlSt NASlt AO o -AlOusI which had been recently added to my circuit. As you know, l am bald headed: and, as you have doubtless observed, am exceedingly bashful, so much so, in fact, that among people who are disposed to laugh at oddities of appearance or character, my embar- rassment becomes painful. After ar irving at the house ofa brother church member who had been recommended to me, asked tor place to lie down, that l might rest before attempting to impress strange congregation and so tired was l with half day of rid ing that I soon sank to sleep. 1 was permitted to continue my repose until there was just time enough left for me to partake of an early supper and reach the church in time to begin the evenings service. When I stepped into the dining room, found num- Der of people, young and old and, as some of them were disposed to be very gay, I felt embarrassed, especially when I had made several awkward blunders ill attempting to make pleas ing replies to light remarks which were addressed to me. My first inn pression after sitting down was that l had never before been so annoyed by flies. They came in swarms from every corner of the room and tried to settle on my bald head.
 "'Mason,' said my host, addressing a negro boy, who, armed with beach, tree limb, was stationed to keep off the flies, attend to your business there
 "'Dat's whut I'se tryin' ter do, boss, but da pear ter hab CT mighty likin' fur dis yere generman's head
 "I saw nothing funny in this re- mark-indeed, to me it seemed de- cidedly impudent-but the company laughed uproariously, and red-eyed boy whose ears I should have liked to pull, blew mouthful of bread across the table. The negro boy dabbed my head with the peach-tree limb, and l know that my face must have grown as red as sweet-gum leaf in Novem- Der. The flies, instead of thinning out, became more numerous, and could feel that they were running over each other.
 'Mason,' said my host cant you do better than that?'
 "'Boss, da won't go way; tell yer da won't. Wy, sah, pear like da'll fight fust.'
 The company roared, and that mol ley faced rascal of boy struck the table with his knife and yelled; and his mother, instead of hauling him down and boxing his jaws, smoothed back his hair and giggled- I knew that I would invite ridicule by be- slowing personal attention upon the misery making insects, but unable to longer bear their ravages, began to fight them of. Then my host, who had previously acted the part of q gentleman, threw himself back in his